Same shirt, same pants, different baby

I really felt Monday was going to be the big turn-around for us and things would go back to normal.  Instead all the kids have runny noses (it seems like I spend all day just running tissues back and forth between the kids) and that lovely cough that sounds exactly like what it is - bringing up gook from your lungs.  Yum!  But I was determined to get out of the house on Monday, it had been so long since we'd been on the other side of the front door!

I also knew we should take it easy.  Just a short trip to the mall to play in the Kid's Space and share some soft pretzels and lemonade.  No other stops, no shopping, just an hour or so to change scenes and give Jack a chance to wear the new sneakers that came in the mail the day we all got sick.  It all worked out quite well.  We played a little, snacked a little and only one kid balked when I said it was time to go.  That's when it got a little hairy.  I hadn't brought a stroller so I was carrying Julia, Jack was running ahead like big boys do and Jude was crumpled on the floor refusing to put on his coat ... or cooperate, period.

After me putting the coat on, and Jude taking it off, several times.  Oh and me chasing down a runaway Julia in between, we finally came to some sort of agreement.  Next step was the escalator.  I'd never been to this mall before, I had no idea where I was going or that there would be escalators involved.  Of course, Jack was thrilled.  He raced off to the top before the rest of us could even get on.  Meanwhile I'm still holding Julia ... and my breath. See, Jude's my methodical guy.  He thinks EVERYTHING through.  And it takes FOREVER.  He's our Poky Puppy - the last one to finish dinner, the last one to the swingset, the last one out of the car, the last one in the car... You get the idea.  And these escalators were fast.

We had a quick pre-boarding pep-talk.  "Jude, you put TWO feet on ONE square.  You have to do it fast!"  So he puts one foot down ... waits, thinks about it, and then decides to put the other one down.  Unfortunately for him two steps have already gone by.  And so now he's off, several paces ahead of me, with his two little legs straddling a growing gap.  It didn't last long before gravity took over and he ended up feet up, head down, yelling for help.  Meanwhile I'm still holding Julia, whom I just can't put down on a moving escalator.  So I did the first thing that came to mind.  I crouched down, and blocked the stairs just in case he started to fall the rest of the way and then creeped up the final few steps between us.  I was able to grab his arm and pull up a very traumatized boy just before we reached the top.  He was pretty distraught the entire way home and soon after said, "I want to go to bed" grabbed his blanky and headed upstairs to put himself down for a nap.  Poor thing.  We won't be attempting escalators for a while.

I figured that was enough "going out" for one day.  Besides, the next day was a big deal - preschool registration.  This is at the "new school."  The one across the street that we're really hoping to get Jack in to this coming fall.  The one with the cool classrooms, impressive curriculum and pet hamsters in each room.  Oh yeah, and the one with a pick-up line so mamas don't have to go carting sibling in and out of the car twice a day.  It's a popular school, as evidenced by the "registration by lottery number" days for current students, church members, alumni families and finally the public (that's us).  We walked into a large hall with about 3 dozen other parents, all hoping for the same thing - a spot in the morning class.  Mary Poppins was playing in one corner for the kids.  And so while Jude was enthralled with the singing and dancing, and Julia was going agro on a 3YO attempting to steal her chair, I was saying a quick prayer for peace and direction.  And also trying to remind myself it's just preschool for heaven's sake.  Jack will be smart and successful regardless of how fancy his 4 year old education is.

It was right about this time that they passed the basket with numbers around and I drew ... the very last one. "Hey, God, could you be any more loud and clear?"  I was disappointed, to say the least.  For the people in front of me, at least those who drew the 2nd, 3rd and 4th to last numbers, it means that their kid is enrolled in the afternoon session for now unless a morning spot opens up.  But I simply cannot do afternoon preschool.  I spent several hours tossing and turning at night trying to work it out, but it just can't be done.  School would be from noon to 2:45pm.  Jude and Julia nap from 12:30 - 3:30/4:00, and who knows about the new baby... I thought about trying to change our naptimes but even so, it's just not worth it.  The little peace we do enjoy in this house has a lot to do with a regular, predictable naptime.

So I've given up most, not quite all, hope on the new preschool.  We're fourth on the waiting list but for now I just hope Jack doesn't ask when he's going to go to the "new school" again.

So where was I?  Oh yeah, all this to describe how we enjoyed #4's 16th week.  And you know what that means!  Time to compare some bellies.  I laid it all out for you:

16 weeks with Jack, Jude, Julia and #4.

I zoomed in a bit too far with the last photo, otherwise I think I look almost the same as with Julia.  As far as other stats, I seem to be right in my 16 week range.  It's hard to tell since I had the flu and lost some weight, but I actually weigh more than I did with Julia at this time but the same as I did with Jude. And Belly is 34 inches around, the same as it was last time.  So really, all this to say I'm quite consistent.  One noticeable difference this time around is that I've already felt movement.  Which is crazy because with the other three I've never felt the baby move until after the 20 week ultrasound.  I felt a few things this past week that I thought were Baby, but after last night I'm quite positive.  The Little One appeared as disappointed with the ending of Season 2 of Robin Hood as I was (dumb, dumb, dumb BBC!).

Tomorrow we go back to the midwife for a quick check.  And the next thing you know it will be time for the big ultrasound.  I'm excited.  And it's no secret I'm hoping for another girl.  Julia NEEDS a buddy.  Someone to have tea parties and play dress-up with.  Some one to learn how to be a lady with so that she'll stop terrorizing 3 year olds that attempt to steal her seat at preschool registration.   Okay, and perhaps on a more practical note - Julia's hand-me-downs are in much nicer shape than the ones that have been through both Jack and Jude.  Either way, Jon is excited to unload a few pounds of baby clothes once we find out what this one ISN'T.  And that's definitely going to be his job.  This Mama is not ready for that step yet.